There’s something special about women coming together to worship. As a worship leader, having stood on stages singing to women and hearing the sound of their voices coming back to me, the only way I can describe it is divine. It’s a sound so beautiful and just thinking about it now gives me goosebumps!

I believe love expressed through worship has the power to be an incredible unifying force. Songs of worship are meant for community. It’s everyone coming together to say, “God, You are the source and I trust You.” It’s powerful and overwhelming in the best way, giving us the opportunity to put aside our stress, worries, and differences and gather as a community for a common reason: to unite and lift up one name…Jesus.

And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the Lord. – Psalms 102:21-22

Women worshiping at the June gathering of The Fountain at Simpson Barn in Johnston.

About a year and a half ago, God started stirring a desire in my heart to bring the women of our city together to worship. I started praying for direction and guidance. Then a few months ago I learned about The Fountain, a city-wide worship gathering that brings together women representing many different churches, backgrounds, and ages. With a vision stemming from John 17, The Fountain is a great example of unity that comes through worship.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” – John 17:20-23

The community of women that exists within The Fountain truly leads with grace and love, and these gatherings welcome everyone with open arms ready to love Jesus and love people.

The vision for this ministry originally began two years ago when Brenda Peitzman felt a call to gather the women of Des Moines to worship together in love and unity. With God’s leading she faithfully built this ministry from the ground up, reaching and impacting hundreds of women in our city. After two years of leadership, God is now opening doors for Brenda and her husband to move to Texas, and in a series of events that can only be attributed to God, she felt led to pass the baton of leadership for this ministry on to me. It was very clear to both of us that God was leading in this direction, and I am humbly privileged to accept the stewardship of this role.

Over the past few weeks as I have been learning more and more about this ministry, it’s been absolutely incredible to see how God has melded all these amazing women together to live out this calling through The Fountain: to worship, celebrate, and share the endless love of Jesus with the women of our city!

God is calling the women of Des Moines to come together. Will you join us?

The next gathering for The Fountain is being planned for early August. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, or email thefountaindsm@gmail.com with questions or to join our mailing list.

Danna oversees communication, video, first impressions, and hospitality at Valley Church and our community centers. She attended Bethel University and Iowa State University and has a BA in Public Relations. She loves music and leading worship and enjoys being creative, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and the farm. She is also passionate about missions and ministry in Haiti. Come to Danna with questions about creating visibility for your event or ministry. Email Danna at dlarson@valley-church.com.